Improvement in steering-apparatus



its @initrd W r) l N. .L. TOMLINSVON, OF `NEIN YORK, N. Y;

Letters Patent No. 86,041.3dated January 19, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN STEERING-APPARATUS.

The Suchedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all 'whom t may concern Be it known that I, N. L. ToMLrXsoN, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and improved Steering-Apparatus; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 represents a side eleva-tion, partly in section, of my improved steering-apparatus.

Figure 2 is a plan or top View of a modification of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding arts.

p This invention relates to a new steering-apparatus for marine vessels of all kinds; and consists in the use of a horizontal perforated plate, projecting from the rudder-post, and of a small wheel, carrying-knobs, that t into the perforations ofthe aforesaid plate, the 'said Wheel being mounted on the same horizontal shaft on whichthe steering-wheel is mounted.

The-invention also consists in connecting the said plate and shaft by means of a clamp or pendant, which is suspended from the shaft, and catches around a segmental rib, projecting from the underside of the plate.

A, in the drawing, represents the upper end of a rudderlpost, or a block or beam secured upon the rudder-post.

B represents a metal plate7 of segmental or other form, fastened to the post A in any suitable manner, so as to project horizontally from the same.

The best manner of fastening the plate is to Ina-ke the upper end of the post polygonal, and to form a corresponding perforation in the plate, as shown in fig. 2.

The plate B is provided with a series of perforatgms or cavities, a a, which are arranged in the arc ot' a circle, struck from the axis of the rudder-pgst as centre.

G represents a horizontal shaft, mounted in suitable bearings, so as to be above the plate B, as shown.

I prefer to hang theshaft C in a pin, b, which is swivelled in the upper end of the rudder-post, and in a fixed support, c, as is clearly shown'in fig. 1. However, both supports may be fixed and stationary, if desired.

On the shaft G is mounted a small wheel, D, from the rim of which teeth or pins, d d, project, that it into the holes of the plate B, as shown in fig. l. Thus, by turning the'shaft C, by means of a steering-wheel, F, which may be mounted on the fore-or aft end of the shaft, as is respectively indicated in iigs. l and 2, the wheel B will be set in motion and the rudder-post will be turned.

The wheel D is too small, in proportion to the radius of the plate B, to allow the shaft G to be turned by means of the plate, and therefore the rudder and the whole steering-apparatus will always remain spontaneously locked in Whatever position the ruddermay stand. The employment of other fastening-devices is.

thereby made superfluous.

The outer edge of the plate B is curved, parallel to l the row of holes a a, and on its under side is formed a segmental rib, ve.

E represents a hook or pendant, hung on the shaft C, and catching around the rib e, as shown, so as to hold the plate B always against the edge ofthe wheel D, so that by strain or shrinkage they cannot be drawn apart.

Having thus described my invention,

I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The segment B, having upon its under side the rib e, ttin g in and supported by the hook E, pendent from the shaft C, which turns in the outer bearing c, and the bearing b, swivelled in the rudder-post, said segment being perforated to receive the pins rl of the small wheel D, whieh is also-hung upon shaft C, all constructod and arranged to operate as herein described, for the purpose specied.

i N. L. TOMLINSON.

Witnesses:

A. V. Bnrnsns, WM. F. MCNAMARA. 

